Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. Grows Holdings in Woodward, Inc. $WWD

Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Woodward, Inc. (NASDAQ:WWD) by 44.7% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 7,317 shares of the technology company’s stock after purchasing an additional 2,259 shares during the period. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc.’s holdings in Woodward were worth $2,619,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of WWD. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd purchased a new stake in shares of Woodward in the fourth quarter valued at about $35,000. Thurston Springer Miller Herd & Titak Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Woodward during the fourth quarter worth about $44,000. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd acquired a new position in Woodward in the 4th quarter valued at about $61,000. Global Retirement Partners LLC increased its position in Woodward by 131.1% in the 4th quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 282 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $85,000 after acquiring an additional 160 shares during the period. Finally, Root Financial Partners LLC raised its stake in Woodward by 122.6% during the 1st quarter. Root Financial Partners LLC now owns 296 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $106,000 after acquiring an additional 163 shares during the last quarter. 81.18% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts have weighed in on the company. UBS Group lifted their target price on Woodward from $427.00 to $429.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, April 30th. Truist Financial upped their price target on Woodward from $404.00 to $415.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 5th. Wells Fargo & Company initiated coverage on Woodward in a report on Wednesday, April 1st. They set an “overweight” rating and a $440.00 price target for the company. Susquehanna started coverage on shares of Woodward in a research report on Tuesday, May 26th. They issued a “positive” rating and a $423.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, TD Cowen boosted their price objective on shares of Woodward from $390.00 to $420.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have issued a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $395.50.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Karrie M. Bem sold 185 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, May 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $355.00, for a total value of $65,675.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 3,648 shares in the company, valued at $1,295,040. This represents a 4.83% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, Director Daniel G. Korte sold 14,700 shares of Woodward stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $356.05, for a total value of $5,233,935.00. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 4,434 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,578,725.70. This represents a 76.83% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 15,629 shares of company stock worth $5,570,005. Insiders own 0.71% of the company’s stock.

Woodward Stock Performance

Shares of WWD opened at $401.99 on Thursday. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $386.97 and a 200-day simple moving average of $370.71. The company has a quick ratio of 1.19, a current ratio of 1.73 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. The company has a market capitalization of $23.95 billion, a PE ratio of 48.14, a P/E/G ratio of 2.37 and a beta of 0.86. Woodward, Inc. has a 52-week low of $233.31 and a 52-week high of $450.92.

Woodward (NASDAQ:WWD) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 29th. The technology company reported $2.27 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.10 by $0.17. Woodward had a net margin of 12.85% and a return on equity of 20.12%. The firm had revenue of $1.09 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.01 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.69 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up 23.4% on a year-over-year basis. Woodward has set its FY 2026 guidance at 9.150-9.450 EPS. Equities research analysts predict that Woodward, Inc. will post 9.34 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Woodward Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 3rd. Stockholders of record on Thursday, August 20th will be paid a dividend of $0.32 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, August 20th. This represents a $1.28 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.3%. Woodward’s payout ratio is 15.33%.

Woodward Company Profile

Woodward, Inc (NASDAQ: WWD) is a global leader in the design, manufacture and service of control systems and components for the aerospace and industrial markets. Founded in 1870 and headquartered in Fort Collins, Colorado, the company specializes in motion control, fuel systems, actuation, and digital control solutions. Its offerings enable precision management of flow, pressure and motion in critical applications ranging from aircraft engines and power turbines to hydraulic systems.

Woodward’s product portfolio is organized into two primary segments: Aerospace and Industrial.